India carried out a successful test of a Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system as it looks to advance its anti-submarine warfare capabilities in response to a growing Chinese presence in the region.
The SMART weapon system underwent a flight test in India on Monday morning from Wheeler Island off the coast of the eastern state of Odisha, the Indian Defense Ministry said in a statement. The launch was successful at all stages as the missile reached its desired altitude and released the torpedo without incident.
“This launch and demonstration is significant in establishing Anti-Submarine warfare capabilities,” the ministry said.
The SMART system allows lightweight anti-submarine torpedoes to travel far beyond their normal range.
A video of the test shows a large missile bursting out of a mobile launcher, before shooting into the clouds out of view of the camera.
In a congratulatory message to India’s Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) that was in charge of developing the system, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said that the test represents a “significant technology breakthrough for stand-off capability in anti-submarine warfare.”
The DRDO said SMART was a “game-changer” in anti-submarine warfare.
The launch comes two weeks after DRDO successfully test-fired a Laser-Guided Anti Tank Guided Missile (ATGM).
India has been pouring resources into modernizing its military as well as boosting domestic R&D and manufacturing of weapons amid recent clashes with both Chinese and Pakistani forces around the disputed Kashmir region.
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